January to April 1994 · Haitianspan
Rape becomes policy and Washington changes its man on Haiti
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In January 1994 Bill Clinton let slip that Aristide's own prospects had been clouded by the collapse of the Malval government. Aristide then called for the cancellation of the treaty that gave the United States legal cover to return Haitians intercepted at sea, and a State Department official walked out of the room. A new American ambassador, William Lacy Swing, replaced Alvin Adams. In Haiti the morning count of bodies rose, and Michel Francois, by now police chief in Port-au-Prince, added the systematic rape of women in Aristide neighbourhoods to the repertoire. Haitian business began to conclude that the president would have to come back and the army would have to be remade. The Army War College published a sixty page report criticising American vacillation. David Obey called for an invasion. Aristide gave the six months notice required to end the refugee treaty. Randall Robinson began a hunger strike in April. Six Democratic congressmen were arrested outside the White House. Clinton replaced his envoy on Haiti with William Gray.
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